Muzzammil Hassan on CNN: Islamic Network and Beheaded Wife in (some of) the News

Yesterday evening, CNN posted an article on Bridge TV's Founder's decapitated wife. CNN's brief (just under 240 words) article about Muzzammil Hassan and his wife, Aasiya, fills in a detail that I missed yesterday: The Orchard Park authorities arrested Bridge TV's founder because "Hassan went directly to the police station after his wife's death and confessed to killing her...." (On the other hand, Orchard Park Police Chief Andrew Benz says he hasn't confessed - wouldn't be the first time the news got something wrong.)

From yesterday's news, it was possible to assume that the police saw a beheaded body, and immediately assumed that a Muslim did it. With Muzzammil Hassan's confession, it's going to be harder for charges of profiling and islamphobia to get traction. It's even possible that the 'victim' tactic won't be used at all.

Aasiya Hassan, Muzzammil Hassan, Bridge TV: Pathos Aplenty

News from Orchard Park and Bridges TV is dripping with emotion:

• Aasiya's restraining order separates her from Muzzammil Hassan
• Muzzammil Hassan separates Assiya's body and head
• Bridges TV must now clean up its
  • Floor
  • Image

Muzzammil Hassan displayed high ideals when he founded Bridges TV. Bridges was billed as the first English-language cable channel for Muslims in America. That was in 2004, about three years after airliners made an impact on Hew York City's World Trade Center, the Pentagon, a field in Pennsylvania - and how many Americans see Muslims.

As CNN put it, Muzzammil Hassan "...hoped the network would balance negative portrayals of Muslims following the attacks of September 11, 2001...."

Bridges and Balance: Good Idea; Execution Not so Hot

I can sympathize with Mr. Hassan's wish to counter negative portrayals. I've watched American culture's attitude toward my religious beliefs grow from the stereotypes of Nast and Monk and dire end times warnings, to technically-accurate accusations of intolerance. I'm Catholic, and not all Americans accept Crosby's "The Bells of St. Mary's" version of the church.

But, if I were trying to provide "balance" in a television network, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have something like Bridges TV's 'news' lineup. It includes Democracy Now!'s own Amy Goodman, "the NY Times best selling author of Exception to the Rulers and Static, hosts a daily current affairs show. Tune in for a unique global view & guests." (Bridges TV's Daily News & Current Affairs page)

Amy Goodman is "radio's voice of the disenfranchised left" - according to the Los Angeles Times, and Democracy Now!

Goodman has every right to be on radio, television, as well as get published in books, magazines, and online.

But I'm not entirely convinced that she's a particularly good choice for presenting a balanced view of Muslims in America. I could be wrong, of course.

CNN, The New York Times, and "All the News That's Fit to Print"

CNN's delay in getting their story out isn't all that unusual. Although the network has been known to post articles within hours of an even, their online news is often 24 hours or more behind other news. This isn't necessarily a bad thing: CNN may have a policy of researching and verifying facts, before publishing.

If The New York Times has an article about the little matter of a beheaded woman cluttering up an Islamic Network's premises, a fairly thorough search this morning didn't reveal it.

I wrote, yesterday, about the difficulties that a prominent Muslim's beheading of his wife presents to a paper with The New York Times' sensibilities.

I don't know why The New York Times isn't paying attention to a prominent member of a Muslim community beheading his wife, and leaving at least part of the remains in his Islamic network's facilities.

I suspect that it's because the Gray Lady's editors haven't yet decided how to handle the unpleasantness, without mentioning Islam, Muslims, beheading, or any other embarrassing detail that might seem intolerant. But, that's just a suspicion.

Besides, it's a free country. If The New York Times decides to ignore Muzzammil Hassan's distinctive method of dealing with his wife, they've got every right to do so. If the Gray Lady's editors feel that a decapitated body on an American Islamic network's property isn't "news that's fit to print" - that's their call.

The New York Times doesn't ignore all news from the little places. Just last year, a story datelined Orchard Park discussed the troubling matter of a sports team playing eight games in Toronto.

Related posts:

• "Muslim Founder of Islamic Network Beheads Wife: But it's No Big Deal?"
  (February 16, 2009)
• "The New York Times, Insularity, and Assumptions"
  (October 21, 2008)
• "CAIR, Yaser Said, and the FBI: Don't Say 'Honor Killing' "
  (October 14, 2008)
• "Honor Killing is Against Islam, Islamic Party Members Say"
  (September 7, 2008)
• "Pro-Islamic Ads Coming to New York City Subways: There's a Real Danger Here, of Becoming Informed"
  (July 21, 2008)

News and views:

• "US Muslim TV boss 'beheaded wife' "
  BBC (February 17, 2009)
• "Woman listens to sister's death in US "
  Independent Online, South Africa (February 17, 2009)
• "Another vilification of Islam"
  Toronto Star (February 17, 2009)
• " 'Monster decapitated my sister' "
  News24, South Africa (February 17, 2009)
• "Founder of Islamic TV station accused of beheading wife"
  CNN (February 16, 2009)
• "Buffalo Area Wonders: Could It Lose the Bills?"
  The New York Times (March 9, 2008)

Muslim Founder of Islamic Network Beheads Wife: But it's No Big Deal?

Update (February 17, 2009):
"Muzzammil Hassan on CNN: Islamic Network and Beheaded Wife in (some of) the News"

---

It could have been worse: Muzzammil Hassan could have had the beheaded body of somebody else's wife leaving a stain on his business.

As it is, Bridges TV, which "aims to foster a greater understanding among many cultures and diverse populations" has a serious public relations issue on its hands. A Pakistani news outlet's headline reads "Islamic TV owner charged with beheading wife." Under the circumstances, there's no way to avoid mentioning the Hassan's religious beliefs.

Old-school American news media does, though, seem to be having a shot at ignoring ht whole story.

Muzzammil Hassan is a Muslim, His Network's Islamic: Deal With it

I've written about 'former altar boy' news coverage in another blog. As a convert to a religious minority, I'm rather sensitive to implied connections between religious belief and criminal tendencies.

In this case, though, there's no way to reasonably ignore Muzzammil Haassan's being a Muslim:

• Aasiya Hassan's body was beheaded
  • Beheading and Islam are firmly connected in the minds of many Americans, thanks in large part to
    • Al Qaeda in Iraq
    • The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques' executioners
• Muzzammil Haassan isn't just a Muslim: he's a prominent member of the local Muslim community
• Bridges TV is an Islamic network, dedicated to building bridges between cultures

In this case, with a decapitated body recalling Al Qaeda and Saudi executions, and the suspect being not merely a prominent member of a Muslim community, but the founder of an Islamic network, it's simply not practical to avoid mentioning Islam and pointing out that Mr. Hassan is a Muslim. Not without leaving out major parts of the story.

Muslim Husband, Beheaded Wife, Islamic Network: What's a Tolerant News Editor to Do?!

Ignoring Mr. Hassan's being a Muslim would be like ignoring Pat Robertson's being a Christian (in a hypothetical case of Dede's body at CBN headquarters leading to his arrest). Whether or not religious belief had anything to do with Aasiya's death, Muzzammil Hassan is known mostly as a prominent Muslim in his community, and the founder of an Islamic network in America.

If We Close Our Eyes, Maybe It'll Go Away

On the other hand, it's quite possible to ignore this entire affair of a beheaded wife on the floor of an Islamic network. CNN and The New York Times seem to be doing that, so far.

They'll probably get around to reporting on this parochial incident, when they've got more information. I can't help but suspect that they're also trying to come up with a suitably multicultural approach to a decapitated woman and a Muslim husband.

And, yes: I looked for something - anything - that CNN or The New York Times had published on this story. Rather thoroughly, around 11:00 a.m., Eastern time, today.

Not an Honor Killing - This is Just Domestic Violence

Nobody's used the phrase, "honor killing" yet. Which is just as well. From the looks of it, this killing could be a case of domestic violence.

By a Muslim.

Who is from Pakistan.

No, I don't hate Muslims, or Islam: and I'm not against Pakistan or Pakistanis. But I do think there may be a connection between Mr. Hassan's background, and his wife ending up in pieces.

Ancient Customs in Today's America

Yaser Abdul Said had two daughters, before he killed them. He seems to have had a perfectly good reason for ending the lives of Sarah and Amina: they were disgracing him and his family.

I've got three daughters, and can sympathize with a father who feels stressed now and again. But kill them? Because they don't do what I think they should? Not gonna happen.

But, I didn't grow up in a part of the world where a family's Big Daddy was expected to knock off daughters who wore the wrong clothes, talked to the wrong people, learned to read, or did something else that wasn't in line with local customs, or made Big Daddy look bad.

American Tolerance Has Limits

I think that if Yaser Abdul Said had whacked his daughters back in the old country, he'd have been accepted as an upstanding example of paterfamilias - or whatever the local language's term is.

Here in America, we're tolerant of different customs and beliefs: but only to a point. Kill your daughters, and you're in trouble. No matter how big a snit you're in.

Muzzammil Hassan: Victim of American Culture?

Muzzammil Hassan may have had a good reason (by his standards) for killing his wife: She was going to divorce him. She was obviously not being a properly "Islamic" wife, by some standards. She

• Was filing for a divorce
• Had a restraining order that " 'had him out of the home as of Friday the 6th [of February]' "
  (Buffalo News)

In a way, I feel a bit sorry for Mr. Hassan. Aasiya was his second wife. He has two kids left over from #1. The idea of being a two-time loser can be tough on a guy. Even someone with Mr. Hassan's lofty ideals. (I'm not being sarcastic there: I'll get to Bridges TV in the next section.)

Mr. Hassan is 44 now. Before she lost her head, Aasiya was 37. Muzzammil Hassan came to America from Pakistan 25 years ago, according to the news. Doing a little arithmetic, I see that he was about 19 when he left Pakistan.

People that age have learned a great deal from their home culture. We can, if we want to, continue to learn new ideas and refine our old ones, all our lives. But it can be awfully hard.

I don't think it's all that unlikely that, being kicked out of 'his' home, and facing the prospect of losing another wife, whatever Muzzammil Hassan had learned from a quarter century in America wasn't enough. Courts will look at the evidence, and it's (remotely) possible that Mr. Hassan isn't the blade-wielding killer he seems to be.

But, right now, it looks like someone who grew up in a really old-fashioned culture snapped, and whacked off the head of a woman who was 'making him feel bad.'

Friends like this, Islam doesn't need.

Bridges TV: Good Idea, Lousy Publicity

Bridges TV, founded by Muzzammil 'off with her head' Hassan, prominent member of Orchard Park's Muslim community, seems to be based on a really good idea.

Here's their Mission Statement:

"Bridges TV aims to foster a greater understanding among many cultures and diverse populations. Through our high-quality, informative, 24x7 programming in English; we seek to become a unifying force that can help people understand our diverse world thorough education and entertainment."

Like most mission statements, it seems very nice. I'm quite sure that whoever is running marketing and public relations for Bridges TV is trying to find a way of saying that Bridges TV is doing a fine job, and that the beheaded body of a woman who was trying to escape their founder has little or nothing to do with their mission.

And, make it sound convincing.

That's a job I'd rather not have.

Mutual Understanding: a Good Idea

I've written before, about the need for becoming informed. Since that September morning in 2001, when airliners hit New York City's World Trade Center, I've been making a point of learning more about Islam, Middle Eastern cultures and beliefs, and related topics.

I think that quite a few Muslims might benefit from learning about Western culture from someone besides Osama bin Laden, professor Churchill, and Congressman Keith Ellison, but that's a whole different topic.

Bridges TV: Uniquely Unique Views

"Unique" and "Uniquely" both show up on Bridges TV's Daily News & Current Affairs page, in program descriptions.

Technically, they're accurate: no two people, and no two news-and-views programs are exactly identical - barring video recordings.

However, as a recovering English teacher who spent much of the sixties, seventies, and eighties in and near college campuses, Bridges' 'news' programming doesn't stand out all that much.

As of today, the news lineup, online, includes:

"Democracy Now
"Daily at 9p ET/10p PT
"Amy Goodman, the NY Times best selling author of Exception to the Rulers and Static, hosts a daily current affairs show. Tune in for a unique global view & guests."

The Democracy Now! website (the name is supposed to include an exclamation mark), identifies Amy Goodman as "radio's voice of the disenfranchised left" - and provides a copy of the Los Angeles Times article which described her in those words ("She has opinions, will travel / Left-wing radio's Amy Goodman takes her views on the road." Los Angeles Times, via Democracy Now! (April 21 2004)).¹

No wonder The New York Times hadn't published an article on this beheading. Bridges TV's "unique" news programming will require delicate handling.

Bridges TV may think so to. At this moment, around mid-afternoon in America's central time zone, they're quite insistent that visitors to their website see this message:

"Bridges TV is deeply shocked and saddened by the murder of Aasiya [Zubair] Hassan

Requests that the families' right to privacy be respected."

Islam, Culture, American Law, and the Human Condition

Right now, we know very little about what happened to Aasiya's death, except that her head was removed. Probably by the guy she had a court order against, and was trying to divorce.

This nasty death may or may not have anything to do with some quirky version of Islam. And, if there is a connection, I think it's arguable that the murder has more to do with old-fashioned Middle Eastern cultural norms, than Islam itself. Although Middle Eastern culture does seem to have had a massive effect on Islam. At least, in the Middle East.

I sincerely hope that traditional news outlets decide to drop their 'multicultural tolerance,' and report on this story. Even if there's nothing particularly 'Islamic' about Aasiya's beheading, trying to ignore this unpleasant death will look like an attempted whitewash.

Related posts:

• "Saudi Arabia Bans Valentine's Day - and the Color Red"
  (February 10, 2009)
• "Make That Two Egyptian Doctors, a Saudi Princess, and Thousands of Lashes"
  (November 14, 2008)
• "Taliban Kills Christian Aid Worker, Striking Another Blow for Islam"
  (October 20, 2008)
  Particularly
  • "With Friends Like This, Islam Doesn't Need Enemies"
• "CAIR, Yaser Said, and the FBI: Don't Say 'Honor Killing' "
  (October 14, 2008)
• "Honor Killing is Against Islam, Islamic Party Members Say"
  (September 7, 2008)
• "Pro-Islamic Ads Coming to New York City Subways: There's a Real Danger Here, of Becoming Informed"
  (July 21, 2008)
• "Rachael Ray and Yasser Arafat? GET A GRIP!"
  (May 29, 2008)
• "Quran Shot by American Soldier: American, Iraqi Leaders Respond"
  (May 20, 2008)
• "With Friends Like These, Does Islam Need Enemies?"
  (January 22, 2008)
• "Reciprocity, the Middle East, and America: Contrasts"
  (April 16, 2008)
• "Beheading Iraqis: Not Al Qaeda's Brightest Idea"
  (October 25, 2007)

In the news:

• "Islamic TV owner charged with beheading wife"
  The Nation (Pakistan) (February 16, 2009)
• "Prominent Orchard Park man charged with beheading his wife"
  The Buffalo News (February 13, 2009)

Background:

• Bridges TV

---

¹ The paragraph containing that iconic quote, from the Los Angeles Times (April 21, 2004):

"...The fan base of 'Amyheads' is expanding in an age in which right-wing voices such as Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity dominate the radio airwaves. The recently launched Air America, with its more left-wing agenda, has been little more than a tepid challenge to those voices due to financial and technical difficulties. (Air America was yanked off the air last week in Los Angeles and Chicago because the network bounced a $1-million check.) Goodman, who calls Pacifica 'a sanctuary of dissent,' has emerged as radio's voice of the disenfranchised left...."

Looks Like Another 'Honor Killing' - This Time in Georgia

"Clayton Co. Police Say Father Killed Daughter to Honor Family"
MyFOX Atlanta (July 6, 2008)

The headline tells most of the story.

Chaudhry Rashad, a Pakistani-American living in Clayton County, Georgia, says that he killed his daughter, 25, because her divorce would have dishonored the family.

As it is, the murder of Sandela Kanwal has brought no great honor to his family. Or, to Islam. And yes, this appears to be a traditional Islamic family - clothing, the whole nine yards.

'Honor killings' are closely associated with Islam, but may be more a Middle Eastern cultural value, than an Islamic religious belief. (I've written about this before.)

A few observations:

• Multicultural concerns notwithstanding, this is getting to be a real problem. Western legal systems tend to be very intolerant of murder, even when it is conducted by non-westerners for cultural reasons.
• Islam may not be the root of this issue. Indonesia, with a huge Muslim population, doesn't have this sort of 'honor killing' problem.

I can understand a father being upset with a daughter's choices. I have three daughters, and a son. They've made choices that I wouldn't have. But, even if one of those choices was something I couldn't approve of, killing one of them is not an option.

Related posts, on Islam, Christianity, Religion, Culture and the War on Terror.

Pakistan and the Bhutto Assassination: A New-and-Improved Official Explanation

Pakistan's Interior Ministry's dropped the (possibly non-existent) sun roof handle as the instrument of Bhutto's death, according to the "Hindustan Times." They're sticking with the skull fracture part of the story, though: and that may be accurate.

I still haven't read what's so important about whether Benazir Bhutto died from a bullet wound, or because the concussion from an explosion cracked her head against part of her vehicle - Aside from the very non-trivial and disturbing detail of a government agency coming up with a cause of death that was somewhat implausible. And then coming up with another explanation.

The obvious reason for Pakistanis being so upset with the 'window handle' story is that it makes the Pakistani government sound like liars: and clumsy ones, at that.

Another strong possibility, in my opinion, is that there's something in Pakistani culture which makes an explosion leading to a blow on the head preferable, from the Musharraf administration point of view, to admitting that a bullet or shrapnel was what killed Bhutto.

Or, maybe the explanation sounded worse in the original language than it did in English.

In any event, the Pakistani government seems to be trying to get at least one foot out of its mouth.

Posts about Benazir Bhutto.

After Benazir Bhutto: Grassroots Looters, Official Spinmeisters

The investigation into Benazir Bhutto's assassination seems to be all but wrapped up.

She wasn't killed by bullets or shrapnel. A spokesman for Pakistan's Interior Ministry, Javed Iqbal Cheema, said that all three shots missed. It wasn't the shrapnel, either. It seems that she was ducking into her vehicle when the bomb's shock wave hit her, knocking her head into a lever attached to the sunroof.

That's plausible enough, but a surgeon who was trying to save her life yesterday, Dr. Mussadiq Khan, says that she was killed by shrapnel hitting her skull.

The Pakistan Interior Ministry's report is fast work. Here in America, it can take well over 24 hours to sort out what killed someone. But then, American coroners are generally a meticulous lot, and can get almost obsessive over verifiable facts when a major public official gets assassinated.

I also don't know what cultural values might encourage officials to find a plausible cause of death other than shrapnel or bullets.

Whatever the cause of death was, the Pakistani government seems to have proof that Al Qaeda is behind Bhutto's assassination. The Taliban, too. And they've got a transcript to prove it. The Associated Press (AP) published a copy, translated into English.

One of the people in the conversation is "militant leader Baitullah Mehsud," as the AP put it. We've heard about him before: He's the Pakistani tribal bigwig and Taliban leader who said he'd have suicide bombers ready when Bhutto came back to Pakistan. Looks like he may have kept his word.

Benazir Bhutto's husband would not allow an autopsy. I can understand that: facing a loss like that, many people don't feel like having their loved one's body cut up. On the other hand, an autopsy might have given more evidence about Bhutto's death.

And, while Pakistani government officials give official statements, Pakistanis are looting banks (seven in Multan), setting trains on fire, and burning tires. From the grassroots looters to the official spinmeisters, this isn't Pakistan's finest hour.

On the other hand, I sincerely hope that American leaders don't decide to abandon Pakistan. One of the last things the world needs right now is for a country with nuclear weapons to come under the control of Al Qaeda and/or the Taliban.

Posts about Benazir Bhutto.

Benazir Bhutto's Assassination and Nawaz Sharif's Near-Miss: It Could be Worse

It's been a busy day in Pakistan.

While campaigning for the Pakistan People's Party, Benazir Bhutto was shot at a rally in Rawalpindi, the city where Pakistan's military has its headquarters. Someone: possibly the assassin, or another attacker, then blew up, killing roughly 20 more people.

Meanwhile, near the Islamabad airport, four supporters of Nawaz Sharif were killed at a rally near the Islamabad airport. Mr. Sharif was about a mile away at the time.

Finger-pointing and Monday-morning quarterbacking is well under way.

• At the hospital where she died, some Bhutto supporters shouted "dog, Musharraf, dog!" according to a cable news report.
• Musharraf blames Islamic extremists.
• TimesOnline suggests that Pakistani warlords or security forces may be responsible.
• Some in the blogosphere blame America's President Bush.

I don't think that Musharraf would be stupid enough to assassinate a leader with the sort of popular support Bhutto had. Assuming that she won the election, or at least won a plurality, I'd think that he could have made a deal to keep some power. But I could be over-estimating his political smarts.

The situation in Pakistan is bad. A nation with nuclear weapons and the missiles to deliver them

• An assassination and a near-miss on the same day
• Pakistan's current leader seems to have very little popular support
• The borderlands are controlled by warlords who haven't caught up with changes that started with the Magna Carta

But it could be worse.

As easy as it is to be cynical about President Musharraf's apparent plan to delay the January 8 election, it's probably a good idea. With lethal gunfire at one candidate's rally, the leading candidate assassinated, and the President suspected of ordering the assassination, Pakistanis could use a little breathing room to calm down: and find someone to replace Bhutto.

And, I think that Bhutto's assassination shows how little support maniacal Muslims have in the Islamic world. A recent poll in Pakistan showed that about 4% of Pakistani people planned to support religious parties next month.

Islamic terrorists don't seem to be any more of a majority than the 0.0001% or so of Muslims at this year's Hajj who chanted "Death to America! Death to Israel!" at this year's Hajj.

With that sort of grassroots non-support, it should be no surprise that the bonkers elements of Islam depend of hijacked airliners, bombs, and the occasional sword to make their point. They're loud, and lethal, but violence seems to be the only argument they have.

See "Assassination Whodunit: Bhutto Faced Threats From All Militant Groups in Pakistan" (December 27, 2007)

Related posts, on Individuals and the War on Terror.

Posts about Benazir Bhutto.

Pakistan's Musharraf Restores Constitution: It's a Start

I'll admit to mild surprise.

Today, Pakistan's president Pervez Musharraf ended his emergency rule of Pakistan, restoring the constitution.

A cynic might assume that he had the constitution tweaked to his (current) satisfaction.

And, elections will be held soon. "The caretaker government is under oath to hold free, fair, transparent and impartial elections to put the country back on track," according to a Pakistani government spokesman. Not surprisingly, there's concern that the election will be "flawed."

I'm no political expert, but I think flaws are a near-certainty. I doubt that there's been a 'flawless' election in any country, in any era. Face it: human beings don't do things 'flawlessly.'

As far as the Pakistani election goes, I'd settle for 'good enough.'

Pakistan: Better Than I Feared

Things are going better in Pakistan than I feared. Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf in now President Musharraf, period. Not General and President Musharraf.

He promised to quit his military role, and be a civilian leader, and delivered: not on the timetable he originally gave, but he did quit.

Maybe he'll end emergency rule by December 16, as he says he will, and restore the Pakistani constitution in time for the January elections, too.

Musharraf has two former prime ministers back in Pakistan now. He's let them know that things are going to be okay with the election, and that he expects them to participate. "Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif have come back, and a level playing field has been given to (their parties). Now it is the responsibility of these and other parties to prepare for the elections, and participate fully," is how he put it.

The two former PMs have threatened to boycott the election. I suppose there's a point to trying not to win an election you want to win - like when the election is obviously rigged.

Musharraf's recent rounding up of political opponents, and now holding an election with very little lead time, seems perilously close to "rigging."

Bhutto, Bombs, and Curious Coincidences

The blame game has started, after the Bhutto Bombing in Karachi, Pakistan. CBS News said that it looked like Al Qaeda was gunning for Former (and maybe future) Prime Minister Benezir Bhutto, when they heard that she was heading back to Pakistan.

Baitullah Mehsud, a Taliban commander and bigwig in his tribe's territory on the Afghanistan/Pakistan border, said that he'd meet Bhutto with suicide bombers. That at least one suicide bomber had a blast in Karachi, an associate of his says the Taliban wasn't involved.

Bhutto thinks there may have been some combination of four groups involved in the attack:

• Taliban elements
• Al-Qaeda
• Pakistani Taliban
  (I'm not sure what the distinction is)
• "A fourth -- a group -- I believe from Karachi," she said

Sounds like the street in Karachi was a sort of shooting gallery, with bombs instead of BB guns.

Pakistani security types say that Bhutto should have stuck to their plan of flying to her speech by helicopter.

With 20-20 hindsight, it's obvious that a helicopter ride would have avoided the street-level attack. On the other hand, helicopters have been known to fall out of the sky, too.

It's 'way too early to know exactly what happened, but the Karachi police seem to be piecing together the evidence. There was at least one suicide bomber: a young man who first lobbed a grenade, and 22 seconds later blew himself up next to a truck.

The bomber's head landed near the rest of the wreckage, and was taken to a forensics lab. Karachi police hope to figure out who he was.

There was a police presence around Bhutto's convoy, including the van that helped shield her from the biggest blast. On the other hand, a broadcast news report said that there was a rather light distribution of police around the route.

Which might help explain why it took the convoy 10 hours to go through Karachi.

Bhutto didn't blame the Pakistani government, but said that individuals in the government might be involved. This isn't as crazy as it sounds. Karachi street lighting failed at sunset, and Bhutto's people couldn't call the national security adviser. Phone service wasn't working, either.

Sometimes conincidences are just that: "A sequence of events that although accidental seems to have been planned or arranged." (The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition).

Sometimes, though, there are cause-effect links.

Pakistan isn't up to American standards of telecommunications, but they're not doing too badly in the major cities. And, one of the country's three international gateway exchanges is in Karachi - which shows that the major port city isn't a backwater.

Pakistan's national power agency, NEPRA, gives the impression that the Pakistani power grid is in pretty good shape. A claim I take with a grain of salt.

Just the same, I think it's odd that street lights go out and phone service failing in an Islamic country, just as the convoy of a woman who is likely to become president passes through town. With a light police presence.

Related posts, on Individuals and the War on Terror.

Posts about Benazir Bhutto.